Renaissance Era (14th-17th Century)

Context

People no longer solely focused on dying!
- "Rebirth" of knowledge, art, invention, science, literature
- Economic rebound
- Patrons for the arts---for example, Italy's Medici family
- Recovery of knowledge of antiquity (Greek, etc.)
Recovery from bubonic plague
Reformation---end of church's authoritarian rule (didn't lose all their power, but a lot of it). Thanks Martin Luther---who was also a musician and championed music in Protestant churches, by the way.
- Church still responsible for the spread of a lot of music throughout Europe, though it didn't change very much
  - It had some polyphony and a little dissonance, though any dissonance was very, very, very brief. In addition, the pipe organ was used more frequently, whereas all instruments were thought to be of the devil in the medieval era.
  - Secular music in this era sound kind of similar to sacred music, however.
New technology
- Printing press invented in 1439---more written music, less oral tradition, music more available
- Improved instruments (people could play in tune, imagine that!)
Measures were introduced
Musical performance was usually performed in either the church or the home, not for public performance (usually)

Many religious works are based on "borrowed" melodies---usually from Gregorian chant or a secular song---but that's nothing new. Just take a look at the Gregorian chant "Dies Irae," which is still used in musical works today.
Melodic movement is usually step-wise and leaps usually weren't bigger 3rds, very conjunct
Modal scales are still used (see Medieval music for more info).
Cantus firmus: fixed melody, ornamented and embellished through a piece

Music was mostly propelled by a steady pulse lacking heavy accents---tactus, or a consistent pulse (finally, something resembling an actual tempo). Tactus was usually duple (2/4, 4/4, 2/2, etc) rather than triple (6/8, 3/4, etc).
Accents would occur in choral polyphony, just as a result of the textual overlapping between voice parts.
Phrases are often irregular in length, internal cadences are gentle and often concealed by overlapping phrases.

Instrumentation was similar to the medieval era, though the lute, harpsichord, clavichord, and recorder were especially prominent as other instruments began to fade and become obsolete.
- Note: Harpsichord and clavichord are NOT the same as a piano. In a harpsichord, the strings are plucked rather than struck, and, in a clavichord, the strings are struck from underneath by metal hammers.
Principle instrument in church music = pipe organ!
Usually, works were not written for a specific instrument. Generally, whoever was around just played, rather than composers writing for a specific instrument.

Polyphony was characteristic, especially with four or more equally prominent voices.
Contrapuntal imitation was popular---when the voices move in the opposite direction. One voice moves up, the other one moves down, equal intervals.
Some dissonance, but it was very controlled and used sparingly. Used to contribute to rhythmic momentum and melodic smoothness more than in the tension/release way it is used today.
Word painting, or where the music fits/is described by the text, was common
Imitation was too---musical idea (motif) exchanged between parts

Mass
Motet
- Vocal composition---prayer text set to music
- Usually a Latin choral composition, but it can be secular or a solo work with instrumental accompaniment, in any language, with or without a choir.
- Appeared as a choral composition without instrumental accompaniment, based on Latin religious texts to serve rituals in the Roman Catholic Church. Written secular in 13th century, in the vernacular language
Madrigal
- Secular love songs! Popular in 14th century
- Based on a poetic form, musical form usually reflects the poem's structure. AAB form---AA section was sung to same music, followed by B, which was a 1-2 line coda that would sum up the poem
- Usually polyphonic
- Became more contrapuntal in 16th century, with interwoven melodies
Passion
Fantasia
Toccata

(Usually written for dances)

Josquin Des Prez
- Italian
- Usually wrote for 4 voices
- Works include masses, motets (like Ave Maria), and other secular music
Giovanni Pierluigi Da Palestrina
- Italian
- Mostly wrote for Roman Catholic Church
Orlandus Lassus
- Italian
- Composed masses, motets, and madrigals
- Lots of imitative counterpoint
William Byrd---English
Giovanni Gabrieli---Italian, first composer to specify instrumentation

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